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Beer. Just that one word can conjure up a variety of images from enjoying a nice cold beer on a warm summer evening to celebrating the holidays with a Christmas Ale. Cleveland is the home for many local microbreweries who have created their own signature craft beers. The city has been at the forefront of the microbrew industry for decades. Cleveland craft beers are poured in restaurants and sold in stores all over the country. We already know that Cleveland is the home to many great restaurants, bars and places to enjoy being social and enjoying microbrew beers with friends and family. Thrillist put together a list the best bars, pubs and restaurants that serve craft beers from around the country.

What is Craft Beer?

Craft beer has become very popular in the past few decades. People are brewing their own beer in their basements or garages or enjoying the unique tastes at the many microbrewery pubs in the area. Consumers changing beverage tastes have created a huge industry around the world. What exactly is a craft beer and how is it different from mass produced beer? According to www.craftbeer.com, the Brewers Association has defined craft breweries as:

Being Small: Craft brewers have an annual production of six million barrels of beer or less.

More Independent: A crafter brewing company is independently owned with less than 25 percent of the brewery owned by a beverage alcohol industry member what is not itself a craft brewer.

Following Tradition: The beers from a craft brewer has a majority of its total beverage alcohol volume in beers whose flavor derives from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients and their fermentation.

There are many different styles of craft beers from pale ales to heavy stouts and every flavor in between. Most brewers create beers for each season including lighter wheat or fruity beers for the summer beers and thicker more robust beers for the winter months. Great Lakes Brewing Company’s Christmas Ale has been a holiday favorite for over 25 years. It’s release every season is celebrated by beer fans throughout the city. This week, local craft brewers will be able to make beers with higher alcohol content. Before the change, brewers were limited to creating beers with an alcohol content below 12%, which is lower than other states. But, as of September 1st, breweries can make beer and stores can sell beer with higher alcohol content. This will only help the craft beer industry in Ohio by making them more competitive with out of state brewing companies.

Cleveland’s Microbreweries

Cleveland’s micro brewing community has been growing over the last decade. More craft beer breweries have been popping up throughout the area. Listed below are just a few breweriesto check out. Most offer beer tastings and food at their breweries.

Great Lakes Brewing Company: As mentioned, Great Lake Brewery Company’s beers have been a favorite for over 25 years. Their brewery, restaurant and pub, located in Ohio City, near the Westside Market has been a vital member of the West 25th neighborhood and its resurgence.

Bottlehouse Brewing Company: The Bottlehouse Brewing Company just recently opened its taproom and mead hall location on Madison Avenue in Lakewood. The original brewery is still located in Cleveland Heights. The brewer focuses on small batch releases with an artistic beer barrel aging approach.

Market Garden Brewery: The Market Garden Brewery is located next to the West Side Market on West 25th The brewery is expanding to a larger space in a building next to the West Side Market parking lot. There is a restaurant and pub where you can taste the many different styles of core and seasonal beer created by the master brewer.

Fat Heads Brewery:Fat Heads Brewery is not a locally grown microbrewery, as there are two locations in Portland, Oregon and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but the beers are brewed here and have become quite popular in restaurants, bars and stores. The brewery in the Cleveland area is located in North Olmsted on Lorain Road with a smaller tap house located in Middleburg Heights. The brewery is known for its Bumble Berry Honey Blueberry and Goggle Fogger beers.

Lakewood Beer and Wine Festival

One of the great things about having so many microbreweries in the area is that many participate in craft beer festivals. If you can’t make it to the breweries, you can taste the beer at the festivals. Once such festival is coming up in Lakewood on Saturday, September 10th. The Lakewood Beer and Wine Festival, presented by Lakewood Alive, is a very popular event that takes place in a parking lot on St. Charles Avenue just south of Detroit Avenue. Attendees can sample wine and beer selections from over 32 wineries New York to Michigan and 44 breweries from Michigan to Maryland. There will be food from local Lakewood restaurants. Get your tickets now as the event sells out! Men’s Cuts is proud to be part of the Lakewood community.

The Republican National Convention will be coming to Cleveland July 18th to 21st. Men’s Cuts is excited to be listed as a Republican National Convention preferred vendor. We are proud to be a member of the west side community of Lakewood and wanted to share what makes Cleveland such a great city to visit, work and live.

Cleveland has been shining in the media for the past year with top places to visit from major travel sites such as Travel and Leisure, Fodor’s, and The New York Times. Cleveland has been called the “Comeback City”, but for someone who was born and grew up in the city, it has always been great. From yearly cultural events and festivals to the great museums to our sports team, Cleveland really is the place to be. The city has been used as the backdrop for filming “Captain America Winter Soldier”, “The Avengers”, “Draft Day”, “The Deer Hunter” and currently “Fast and Furious 8” is being filmed in downtown Cleveland. The city also has a thriving arts scenes with galleries, theaters and the largest performing arts center next to New York City at Playhouse Square.

Things to Do in and Around Cleveland

There are many great things to do and see in the city of Cleveland and its surrounding suburbs and towns from museums, to sporting events to the lakefront to an amazing amusement park, Cedar Point, which is just 45 minutes west of the city.

Museums and Attractions

Downtown Cleveland is home to many attractions that shouldn’t be missed. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opened near the city’s lakefront in 1995 and has been a great tourist and cultural destination ever since. See, hear and experience rock music from its roots in gospel, country and blues to the latest in popular music. Next to the Rock Hall is the Great Lakes Science Center, which is home to the OMNIMAX theater, great science exhibits and the NASA Glenn Visitor Center.

The University Circle area, 15 minutes east of downtown Cleveland, is home to The Cleveland Orchestra, amazing museums, culture, colleges and much more. The Cleveland Museum of Art, is known throughout the world for its magnificent collection of historical to modern art. The museum recently went through a major addition and renovation project, adding gallery space allowing more artwork to be shown. The Cleveland Museum of Natural History are working on a big renovation project that will enhance the visitors experience both inside and outside the museum. University Circle is home to the Western Reserve Historical Society and Crawford Auto Museum, where you can travel back in time to see how people lived and traveled in the Cleveland area over 100 years ago. Severance Hall is the winter home of the Cleveland Orchestra, one of world’s best orchestras. The building is an amazing example of art deco architecture with wonderful acoustics.

The Cleveland Metroparks has 300 miles of hiking, biking and horse trails, 8 lakefront parks, 5 nature centers, 8 golf courses and the world-renowned Cleveland Metroparks Zoo with over 2,000 animals. There are picnic tables, pavilions, baseball and soccer fields and much more throughout the many miles of the parks in areas throughout Cuyahoga County. The Zoo is a great activity and place to explore for the entire family.

Just 45 minutes west of Cleveland in Sandusky, Ohio is Cedar Point, the roller coaster capital of the world. If you love thrill rides, this is the amusement park for you. The newest roller coaster, Valvarn, opened just a few weeks ago to major thumbs up by coaster enthusiasts. There are also entertainment shows, a water park and children’s rides.

Cleveland is for Foodies

Cleveland offers a rich variety of food from ethnic to farm-to-table, to Americana. Each Cleveland neighborhood and suburb offer their own take on popular styles of food. The restaurant scene in the Cleveland area has been making a name for itself as a culinary destination for the past decade. The foodie scene continues to grow and flourish with new restaurants opening nearly every month in the city and surrounding suburbs. The city has established well known and up-and-coming chefs that are making their mark on the city’s food culture. There are many great “foodie” destinations around the city including East 4th Street in downtown Cleveland, Tremont, West 25th Street in the area surrounding the West Side Market, Little Italy and the Uptown/University circle area. The Flats entertainment district is in the middle of a major overhaul with many new clubs, restaurants and living spaces being built in this area along the Cuyahoga River.

Sports Teams

Cleveland is the home to great professional and minor league sports teams including the Cavs, Indians, Browns, Captains, Rubber Ducks, Crushers and Monsters. These teams are known to have the most loyal fan bases in sports. The teams have all had their ups and downs over the decades, but they have always had fan support and always bring excitement to the city. Attending sporting events at Progressive Field, the Q Arena or First Energy Stadium is always a great time. Progressive Field is one of the most intimate baseball fields in the major leagues. With many the upgrades and renovations in the past year, Progressive Field can’t be beat with for interactive fan experience.

Don’t take our word for it, get out and explore all the great places and things to do that the Cleveland area offers! Men’s Cuts is excited to welcome the many visitors that will be coming to Cleveland in the next month! Give us a call at 440-799-8887 or book your appointment online today for men’s haircuts and skin care.

The weather is finally warming up, which means that it is now officially BBQ season. We have mentioned many restaurants in the area that specialize in BBQ but nothing is better than grilling your own steak or hamburger on the grill in your backyard.

Grilling is a favorite pastime for millions of people around the world. The grill is their backyard domain. But, in order to have the best BBQ experience, you have to make sure that the grill is ready for the season. For most people the grill has been sitting in a storage unit, garage or basement and hasn’t been used in months. It is very important to properly prepare a grill for use during the spring and summer. Or accidents could happen.

Preparing your Grill

Below are a few tips for getting your grill ready for BBQ season:

Check the Hoses: If you have a gas grill, check the hose the runs from the propane tank to the burners to make sure it is intact and clean. Clean off any build-up on the hose before starting the grill. If the hoses are torn or damaged, replace them before starting the grill.

Clean the Grill: If you didn’t clean the grill before storage for the winter, it is very important to take the time to clean the grill before you use it for the first time this year. Before cleaning, turn the gas source off. Take the grates out of the grill and scrub down with a wire brush, a coarse cleaning brush, or a damp cloth. Wipe down the outside of the grill with soap and water. Run the grilling tools and accessories through the dishwasher.

Clean the Grease Trap: Cleaning out the grease trap is usually a forgotten task, but it really needs to be done on a yearly basis. In order to make the job easier for next year, line the grease trap with sturdy aluminum foil.

Charcoal Grills: If you have a charcoal grill, certain steps must be taken to make sure it is clean as well. Remove the grill grate and clean it with a coarse cleaning brush. Brush or wipe out any debris at the bottom of the grill. Before grilling, empty out the ash catcher. For kettle grills, wipe down the outside of the lid and grill with soapy water.

Prevent Rust: Help prevent your outside grill from getting rusted by painting the exterior in a rustproof metal paint. If there is existing rust, scrub it off with steel wool. Check handles, knobs, wheels for rust or damage. These can easily be replaced during the grilling season.

Test Run: Give the grill a test run before you start grilling your hamburgers for the season. Watch to make sure that all burners are going and that there are no leaks.

Grilling Tips

Once the grill is up and running for the season, it is time to perfect your grilling technique. To allow for easier daily cleaning of the grill, preheat the grill, then brush the grate with a grill brush to remove the burnt pieces of food from the previous grilling session. It is easier to remove the stuck food when the grate is warm.

Every griller has a different technique and style when they are cooking their barbeque. In fact, every grill master has a special barbeque recipe or grilling style. Some specialize in grilling beef or pork while others have specialized in grilling chicken, fish or vegetables. There are many, many online tips about grilling technique, but WebMD has put together a wide variety of tips from how to marinate your meat or vegetables to some common sense barbequing tips. Go to any bookstore and you can see rows of books with BBQ Tips. Late last year, the Huffington Post put together a list of their Top 10 best BBQ books, including America’s Best BBQ and Weber’s Time to Grill. Here are just a few good ideas for the BBQ for this spring and summer:

Plan Ahead: Cooking times for the meat will vary depending on the type: ribs can take at least one hour or more to grill, pulled pork can take 6 to 7 hours and brisket can take 10 to 12 hours or more to properly cook. It is very important to plan ahead if you are grilling so you can prepare the meat, (either the day before with a marinade or a meat rub before you start grilling), and then cook it to the proper temperature.

Grilled Veggies: Grilled vegetables are great side dishes or a meal in themselves. Vegetables can easily be cooked on the grill. Marinate vegetables before cooking or just lightly brush them with olive or canola oil to give them an added flavor. Vegetables can be cooked over direct medium heat in about 8 to 10 minutes, but they need to be turned frequently for even cooking.

Marinate it: There are many meat marinade recipes that you can find online. The best and easiest way to marinate meat, chicken, fish or vegetables is to place them inside a re-sealable plastic bag, then drizzle the marinade over the food. Seal the bag, by removing any excess air and look to see that the food is surrounded by the marinade. Keep the bag in the refrigerator until it is time to grill.

Drink Pairing: There are many drinks that are great to go along with barbeque.The Beer Advocate recommends anything from American Pale Lagers to English Stout. It will all depend on the type of food you are preparing. Food and Wine also shares the best wine pairing for ribs to pulled pork. They recommend drinking red wines from zinfandels to cabernet blends to syrahs.

Cook Smart: High heat and quick cook times are the secret of the perfect juicy hamburger. Timing will vary depending on if you want your hamburger pink or completely finished inside. Let meat “rest” after removing them from the grill. This allows the meat to soak up the juices and flavor that could be lost during the cooking process. For an even tastier hamburger, grill the buns on the grill.